Monday, August 10, 2009

time to vote!

Okay. Here is how the Fiddler's Summer voting will go down. Click this link here to go to the thread which lists all the videos submitted. After watching, come back to this post and anonymously list the name of your favorite fiddler in the comments here at this post, and only this post! Please do only vote once, and feel free to share the contest with friends and family as well. Twitter it, blog it, Facebook it, ask your co-workers to join in. This should be a big time for all, to cheer on the contestants and enjoy the sounds of new mountain musicians playing old tunes. Polls close at Midnight (VT Time) Thursday! So cast your ballot for the top fiddlers of summer 2009!

And I really really mean this: thank you to all who picked up a violin and started playing.

Oh I'm torn I don't know who to vote for! You were all wonderful! I really admire you all! But I don't know who to vote for. One of my cats really seemed to enjoy Jennifer's playing (Jennifer, you have a beautiful fiddle, almost makes me want to go out and buy one!!!!): he climbed onto my laptop to sniff at the screen. He also seemed to appreciate Kimberly Ann's playing: he rolled onto his back and moaned happily! Maybe he has a thing for the fiddle because he did yowl (he's a Siamese) along to most videos! I think Dancing Daughter should get an honourable mention because she's so darn cute!!!!

hmmmmmmm... I think my choice falls on Bridget Belfountain, though both pieces were lovely.

I was impressed with the effort everyone made and a bit jealous they actually did something I don't have the nerve to try. John and Sherrie sound more advanced so it is hard to think they just picked the fiddle up a few short weeks ago. Bridget Belfountain gets my vote too although a close three way tie for second would be Shannon, Knittymamma and Heather. My opinion only mind.....

Completely amazing! I just loved them all - every one was so unique, but I have to cast my vote for Bridget Belfountain because it was simple and pretty - but I have to say I loved listening to them all!!! The beginners, the advanced, the in-betweeners!

I started playing about a year ago and played for about 4 months off and on again, and just wasn't getting it. I went 6 months without playing and then I saw Jenna's challenge. And then I decided to do it. I didn't realize that you had to be a total non-musician to be involved. I thought it was to get you in the spirit of practicing daily and getting a good book and really working hard. I worked EVERY DAY at the fiddle, used the book, listened to audios, watched tons of YouTube videos, and worked with recordings and really worked hard. In the beginning, my band was like, ah, no thanks, come back later and now the boys are really surprised at the change in just two months of super hard dedication.

So I kinda feel bad at the comment that the person finds it "hard to believe" that John and I never touched a fiddle because I didn't think that was the whole spirit of the challenge... I thought it was to get you into the instrument and work hard, practice every day and get the passion of a fiddler in your soul. Pardon me for being excited at finally "getting it" and feeling the music so strongly. I would have probably dropped the instrument if it hadn't been for Jenna and her challenge.

Sherri, Please don't take my comment badly. To my untrained self your playing sounded like you had been at it for far longer than the few months you state. I would guess it would take years...but what do I know? I could easily and happily pay money to listen to you play and would if you lived in my area. You have obviously dedicated yourself to the instrument and I know that was the point. Please don't take offense... especially from someone who didn't have the nerve to do as you did.

I have really loved listening to everyone. John is my brother and I sent him the book after I read about it on this site. I can vouch that he didn't even own a fiddle before May 5th. However, he is a complete music freak who has never met an instrument that he can't play. I remember when he started taking guitar lessons and after 4 lessons the teacher told my parents, "well, that is everything I know, I'll continue to take your money, but I'd rather just jam with him." He is one of those people that doesn't stop doing things until they are mastered, loves the challenge and wants to always improve.

Environment is one of the things that can really accelerate you in the learning process and something that everyone should consider when they are learning a new instrument.

Yeah, I knew just how I wanted to sound when I began to learn the fiddle. It's because I'm immersed in bluegrass. I run 12 national websites devoted to the music. I run a online newspaper (used to be print but it was too expensive) I am a half owner in a national bluegrass venue called the Glass City Opry. In fact, next week, we're having Michael Cleveland and his band Flamekeeper... 7 time IBMA world champion fiddler and I'm one of the two that pays his check for coming. He'll be eating my food I cook for the backstage! If that ain't immersion, I'm not sure what is.

Yeah, I play in a band... banjo. And I'm a songwriter with my partner, and I run a music production company as well as having a BMI publishing company. I live and breathe bluegrass, it's my LIVING as well as my life!

So, yeah, that helps, I'm sure. And I had the time to devote hours a day to the learning process, because I work at home and it's there, laying in it's case next to my desk. So everytime I have a little time, I fiddle. My banjo is getting a little jealous... hahaha...

Does that make it easier? Yeah, sure, in some ways, because I know what it SHOULD sound like, and the fiddle has WAY fewer notes than the banjo, or any other grass instrument. But it's also incredibly different than the banjo, all new fingering, learning to bow, learning all the subtlies of double stops and slurs and everything that makes a fiddle SOOOO cool....

John and I may sound different, but well, it's the difference that immersion makes. He's a fantastic guitar bluegrass player, and it sounds like he's got the music in him, and adapts easily to instruments. Some people do.

I took up the challenge for myself, not for prizes or anything like that. And I wanted to share with my readers about the music that I live and breathe... Because I didn't give it up, which I had at the beginning of this challenge, I'm SO enriched now from this two months of intensity and a little bit of accountability! I actually went to my first jam yesterday and played for almost two hours on the fiddle and oh boy, I sounded terrible about 80% or more of the time, but that's the learning curve. Yet by the night's end, I was starting to get the hang of improvising.... more flooding... when they turn to you and say "take a break, Sherri" and you HAVE to do something... boy that is some learning that you just can't get from a book. It's a high that I recommend to ANYONE learning the fiddle... it's delightful when what you've learned actually falls in place and that's what Jenna has been talking about.. the whole soul and environment of the fiddle and it's song...

Ahem.

Okay, yeah, I'm a bluegrass freak. (g)

You can learn more....

http://www.glasscityopry.comhttp://www.thebluegrassjournal.comhttp://www.deepwaterbluegrass.com(I'm the girl with the banjo! hahaha)

Oh yeah, and see that little graphic on the side of Jenna's blog? BluegrassMusicJams.com?

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About Me

Enjoy the story of a young writer living in Washington County with her fancy dogs, sheep, lots of chickens, fiber & meat rabbits, geese, ducks, turkeys, a hive and a garden. Expect to hear a lot about mountain music, the civil war, local food, and my friends along the way. It's a big time folks.